This invention relates to a wireless LAN, and in particular to a method of, and apparatus for, increasing the quality of service (QoS) in a wireless LAN.
A wireless LAN can use any one of a number of known wireless technologies, such as 802.11a, 802.11b, Hiperlan/2, Bluetooth or Home RF. Known wireless LANs operate using the same wireless technology for both the downlink (access point to mobile communications device) and for the uplink (mobile communications device to access point). In order to avoid interference, the downlink and uplink channels cannot be in operation at the same time. This is disadvantageous, particularly where the wireless LAN includes a large number of mobile communications devices, as it restricts the bandwidth that can be provided in the downlink channel, and hence the QoS of the LAN.
The choice of technology used depends on a number of parameters. Where, however, QoS is an important factor, it is usual to use 802.11a. Hiperlan/2 would be the preferred choice of wireless technology, but this technology is currently unavailable. Some of these different technologies operate at 5 GHz (e.g 802.11a) and some operate at 2.4 GHz (e.g 802.11b), and each operates at a different data rate.
An aim of the invention is to increase the QoS of a wireless LAN.